Naringenin prevents experimental liver fibrosis by blocking TGFβ-Smad3 and JNK-Smad3 pathways

Figure 9 Naringenin prevents elevation of TGF-β, α-SMA, CTGF, MMP-13, and Col-1 protein levels, and preserves Smad7 protein levels in CCl₄-treated rats. The TGF-β (A), α-SMA (B), CTGF (C), MMP-13 (D), Col-1 (E) and Smad7 (F) protein levels in samples of liver tissue were determined by western blot analysis from control rats, carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄)-treated rats, CCl₄ plus naringenin rats (CCl₄ + NAR), and rats administered with NAR alone (NAR). β-actin was used as a control. Values are expressed as fold increase of relative IOD normalized to the control group values (control = 1). Each bar represents the mean value of three rats ± SE. ^aP < 0.05 vs control group; ^bP < 0.05 vs CCl₄ group.